Olympic leader Carlos Nuzman sends resignation letter from jail

Carlos Nuzman, President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, center, is escorted by federal police officers after being taken into custody at his home, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.(Photo: Silvia Izquierdo, AP)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Carlos Nuzman has sent his resignation letter as head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee from a prison where he's been held since last week amid an investigation into a vote-buying scheme to bring the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro.

The national Olympic committee on Wednesday designated vice president Paulo Wanderley to replace Nuzman, who had headed the BOC for 22 years. He will serve the three years remaining on Nuzman's term.

Wanderley described Nuzman's resignation as "a relief."

Nuzman had already been suspended by the International Olympic Committee as an honorary member.

Wanderley says "all of us were taken by surprise" by Nuzman's arrest and allegations he helped channel at least $2 million to Lamine Diack, a former IOC member from Senegal. He called the politics of the body "broken" but said the sporting mission was "solid."

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